Composition for controlling fungal growth

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a composition for controlling fungal growth comprising a carrier and a salt of formic acid.

[0001] The current application is a conversion of U.S. provisional application No. 60/372,935 filed on Apr. 16, 2002, and titled “COMPOSITION FOR TREATING TOXIC MOLD INFESTATION, AND METHODS OF APPLYING SAME”.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a composition for controlling vegetative growth resulting from a specific spore producing mold or fungi.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] This invention relates to a composition for controlling fungal growth, in particularly a composition for controlling toxic mold infestations such as Stachybotyrs chartarum and Aspergillus versicolor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates to a composition for controlling fungal growth comprising: a carrier; and a salt of formic acid.

[0005] This invention relates to a composition for preventing a reoccurrence of mold infestation after remediate. The composition prevents the fungal spore from growing in its vegetative state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0006] Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments and that it can be practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0007] The present invention relates to a composition that stops spore or fungal spore from becoming vegetative and re-infesting a remediated site.

[0008] The present composition can be in the form of a solution, such as an aqueous solution, a gel, a foam, a spray, such as an aerosol, a powder, a porous decomposable brick.

[0009] A composition for controlling fungal growth having a carrier and a salt of formic acid. The preferred salt of formic acid is a metal salt such as cesium formate, sodium formate, zinc formate, lithium salt, calcium formate, potassium diformate and potassium formate or combinations of these.

[0010] Another version of the invention contemplates that salt of formic acid is an organic salt such as ammonium formate, ethyl formate, methyl formate, amine formate, butyl formate, propyl formate and combinations of those.

[0011] The carrier can be heavy water, distilled water, deionized water, tap water, or combinations of these waters. Alternatively, the carrier can be a glycol for example an n-butanol, iso-butanol, n-butoxyl propanol, ethers, di-propylene glycol, mono butyl ether, glycols, such as propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, butylene glycol, hexylene glycol, di-propylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, tri-propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, poly glycols; ethers, such as monomethyl ether and mixtures of these.

[0012] The carrier could also be a water, a glycol, a mixture of water and glycol, or a hydrocarbon. The hydrocarbon could be mineral spirits, ethanol, butanol, propanol, naptha, or combinations of these.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated that the carrier is a propellant. Butane, propane, inert gas, carbon dioxide, air, and combinations thereof could function as the propellant. The propellant can be between 1 wt % and 30% by volume of the desired container.

[0014] The most preferred embodiment of the salt of formic acid is between 0.1 wt % to 70 wt % potassium formate. A preferred range is between 0.1 wt % to 50% by weight potassium formate.

[0015] In some embodiments, a second, different salt of formate can be added to the invention. A preferred second salt is cesium formate, which can be between about 1 wt % and 15 wt % cesium formate. The cesium formate is more preferably used in amount from 1-5 wt % of the total weight of the salt of formic acid.

[0016] An embodiment of the invention contemplates using and additional surfactant with the salt of formic acid and the carrier. The surfactant can be a fatty acid soaps, alpha olefin sulfonate, sulfonates, amine ethoxylates, amine salts of linear alkyl benzene, sulfonic acid, aromatic sulphonates of cumene, xylene and toluene, earth metal salts of olefin sulfonates; condensation products of ethylene oxide with aliphatic alcohols having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms in either straight or branched chain configuration and mixtures thereof Between about 0.5 and 2.5 wt % surfactant can be used with the composition in yet another embodiment..

[0017] The composition can additionally comprise between 0.1 and 5 wt %, more preferably between 0.01 and 1.0 wt %, of a dye, of a viscosifier and combinations thereof.

[0018] The composition can also include a salt of citric acid, oxalic acid, maleic acid, acetic acid, fumaric acid , humic acid, fulvic acid, malic acid, glutaric acid, or glutamic acid.

[0019] Colloidal oatmeal can be used as an ingredient to form a paste with the novel composition and provide a means to encapsulate the spores to insure controlled growth. Typical colloid oatmeal is oat gel available from Quaker Oats.

[0020] The unique oatmeal contains L-histines to kill the vegetative growth. The killing of the vegetative growth is an unexpected result of combining the oatmeal with the salt of the formic acid.

[0021] The dye can be a water soluble alkali-stable basic dye. The viscosifier can be xanthan gum, carboxy methylcellulose, guar gum and combinations thereof.

[0022] An active kavalactone can be optionally added to the formulation. Such as dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and combinations thereof. It is contemplated that the active kavalactone comprises 1-50 wt % of the combined mixture of the salt of formic acid and the active kavalactone. The most preferred active kavalactone is derived from Piper Methysticum.

[0023] The fungal growth that this formulation controls includes Stachybotrys chartarum, Stachybotrys parvispora, Stachybotrys kampalensis, Stachybotrys theobromae, Stachybotrys bisbyi, Stachybotrys cylindrospora, Stachybotrys dichroa, Stachybotrys oenanthes, Stachybotrys nilagerica and combinations thereof. Other fungal growth that this composition can control includes an Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus foetidus, Aspergillus phoenicus, Aspergillus nomius, Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus ostianus, Aspergillus auricomus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus sojae, Aspergillus restrictus, Aspergillus caesillus, Aspergillus conicus, Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor.

[0024] Other fungal growth that can be controlled by the composition of the invention includes a Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum. Also, a mildew species such as Phytophthora infestans, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Plasmopara Vicicola, Alternaria solani, Alternaria solani, Mycospharilla fragari, Alternaria puri, Brimia lactota, Cercosporidium personatum, Alternaria alternata, Botrytus faba or combinations thereof can be controlled by this formulation.

[0025] The fungal growth that is also controlled by the invention includes fusarium oxysporum.

[0026] Other fungal growth that can be controlled by the invention also includes Penicillium freii, Penicillium verrucosum, Penicillium hirsutum, Penicillium alberechii, Penicillum aurantiogriseum, Penicillium polonicum, Penicillium viridicatum, Penicillium hirsutum, Penicillium brevicompactum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium griseofulvum, Penicillium glandicola, Penicillium coprophilum, Eupenicillium crustaceum, Eupenicillium egyptiacum, Penicillium crustosum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium sartoryi, Penicillium westlingi, Penicillium corylophilum, Penicillium decumbens, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicillium solitum, Penicillium camembertii, Penicillium commune, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicillium sclerotigenum, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium fellutanum, Penicillium charlesii, Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium raperi, Penicillium madriti, Penicillium gladioli, Penicillium oxalicum, Penicillium roquefortii, Penicillium simplicissimum, Penicillium ochrochloron, Penicillium spinulosum, Penicillium glabrum, Penicillum thomii, Penicillium pupurescen and combinations thereof.

[0027] The method of application of the above compositions can be by any available means that effectively covers the affected area with uniformity sufficient to treat the mold to disrupt the cellular form of the mold and cause it to cease to grow and spread. For example, the method is carried out by spraying either as a liquid or as a foam, as well as painting or spreading with brushes or rollers, or soaking the contaminated material with the composition. Further, entire houses or portions thereof, are treated after contamination or after the houses are built and lived in. Building materials to fabricate the houses may also be treated in advance with the composition of this invention to prevent future contamination by toxic mold infestation. The method of treatment also includes an induction period to allow the salt solution of this composition to destroy the mold colony. The composition is applied in sufficient quantities to kill essentially all toxic molds such as stachybotrys chartarum, penicillium aurantiogriseum, pencillium chrysogenum, penicillium glabrum, aspergillus oryzae, aspergillus terreus, aspergills versicolor, cladosporium herbarum fungi and fusarium oxysporum.

EXAMPLE 1

[0028] To show the effectiveness of the composition of this invention applied as described above, a Stachybotrys stock solution was made and subsequently diluted by a factor of 10 (1/10 dilution). Four portions of that stock solution were placed in four petri dishes for the test. Nothing was added to the growth control plate. The samples A, B and C were added to the other three plates and averaged. The average as shown by the following table was multiplied by the dilution factor (10). The original concentration of the Stachybotrys stock solution was calculated to be 130 CFU/ml (colony forming unit). The mold was a malt extract media.

[0029] To sample A was added one milliliter of the composition which included 2.5% cesium formate solution, 20% water, 5% surfactant, and the balance of the mixture was potassium formate solution. Sample A was a neutral solution having a pH of 7 or 8.

[0030] Sample B was the same composition described above for sample A, but the pH was reduced to 5.

[0031] Sample C was the same composition described above for sample A, but the pH was raised to 10.5-12. The three plates were incubated at room temperature and checked daily for growth for 10 days. The results of such tests are shown in the table below: Raw Count/ Sample No. Sample Description Identification % Inhibition A 2.5% cesium formate, No Stachybotrys 0/100 20% H₂O, Detected 5% surfactant, balance was potassium formate. pH of 7 or 8. B Same as A. pH of 5. One CFU/ml. of 1/92.3 Stachybotrys detected C Same as A. pH of No Stachybotrys 0/100 10.5-12. Detected GC Growth Control Stachybotrys 13 (average of three plates)

[0032] The results shown in the above table confirm the effectiveness of the composition of the present invention since no Stachybotrys was detected in sample A at a neutral pH of 7 or 8 and therefore there was 100% inhibition after the treatment. A small amount (about one CFU/ml.) of the Stachybotrys was detected for sample B after the treatment, so the sample with the lower pH was not satisfactory. With respect to sample C, none of the Stachybotrys was detected after treatment, so the treatment with pH ranges neutral and above were successful. For the growth control, the sample GC had an average CFU/ml in three petri plates of 13 CFU/ml., against which samples A, B and C were compared.

EXAMPLE 2

[0033] A sample prepared with 50% Potassium Formate (Clearwater Chemicals Inc. of Pittsburg Pa., 2.5% cesium formate solution from Cabot Industries in Toronto, Canada, 5% surfactant, such as BYK 155 from BYK-Chemie of Switzerland, or Sartomer 511 from Sartomer Corp. of Houston, Tex., and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 3

[0034] A sample prepared with 50% Potassium Formate, 5% surfactant, and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 4

[0035] A sample prepared with 50% Potassium Formate, 2.5% cesium formate solution, 5% surfactant, 5% propylene glycol from Dow Chemical of Midland, Mich., and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 5

[0036] A sample prepared with 30% Potassium Formate, 1.25% cesium formate solution, 5% surfactant, 30% kavalactone (derived from Piper Methysticum) from Herbal Apothecary Ltd. of Siston, England, 10% ethanol from Cargill and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 6

[0037] A sample prepared with 20% Ethyl Formate, 10% surfactant, 10% propylene glycol and the remainder mineral spirits.

EXAMPLE 7

[0038] A sample prepared with 50% Potassium Formate, 2.5% cesium formate solution, 5% surfactant, 0.05% blue dye such as blue dye #3 from International Pigments of Houston, Tex., and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 8

[0039] A sample prepared with 35% Potassium Formate, 2.5% cesium formate solution, 5% surfactant, and 0.5% xanthan gum from Agvalon Industries of Gonzales, Tex., and the remainder water.

EXAMPLE 9

[0040] A sample prepared with 20% potassium diformate, 0.05% blue dye, and the remainder talcum powder to make a solid formulation. This was added to gypsum, such as that from US Gypsum of Houston, Tex., and pressed into a board.

EXAMPLE 10

[0041] A sample prepared with 20% potassium diformate from Norsk Hydro of Norway and the remainder bentonite to make a solid formulation. This was added to latex paint base.

EXAMPLE 11

[0042] A sample prepared with 50% Potassium Formate, 5% surfactant, and the remainder water.

[0043] While this invention has been described with emphasis on the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention might be practiced other than as specifically described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A composition for controlling fungal growth comprising: a. a carrier; and b. a salt of formic acid.
 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the salt of formic acid is a metal salt selected from the group: cesium formate, sodium formate, zinc formate, lithium salt, calcium formate, potassium diformate and potassium formate and combinations thereof.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the salt of formic acid is an organic salt selected from the group: ammonium formate, ethyl formate, methyl formate, amine formate, butyl formate, propyl formate and combinations thereof.
 4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the carrier is a water selected from the group: heavy water, distilled water, de-ionized water, tap water, and combinations thereof.
 5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the carrier is a glycol selected from the group consisting of n-butanol, iso-butanol, n-butoxyl propanol, ethers, dipropylene glycol, mono butyl ether, glycols, such as propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, butylene glycol, hexylene glycol, di-propylene glycol, di-ethylene glycol, tri-propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, poly glycols; ethers, such as mono-methyl ether and mixtures thereof.
 6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the carrier is a member of the group consisting of a water, a glycol, a mixture of water and glycol, and a hydrocarbon.
 7. The composition of claim 6, wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of mineral spirits, ethanol, butanol, propanol, naptha, and combinations thereof.
 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the carrier is a propellant.
 9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of butane, propane, inert gas, carbon dioxide, air, and combinations thereof.
 10. The composition of claim 8, wherein the propellant is 1-30% by volume of a desired container.
 11. The composition of claim 2, comprising 0.1 wt % to 70 wt % potassium formate.
 12. The composition of claim 11, comprising 0.1 wt % to 50% by weight potassium formate.
 13. The composition of claim 11, further comprising between about 1 wt % and 15 wt % cesium formate.
 14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the cesium formate is 1-5 wt % of the total weight of the salt of formic acid.
 15. The composition of claim 11, further comprising a surfactant selected from the group comprising fatty acid soaps, alpha olefin sulfonate, sulfonates, amine ethoxylates, amine salts of linear alkyl benzene, sulfonic acid, aromatic sulphonates of cumene, xylene and toluene, earth metal salts of olefin sulfonates, condensation products of ethylene oxide with aliphatic alcohols having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms in either straight, or branched chain configuration and mixtures thereof.
 16. The composition of claim 15, comprising between 0.5 and 2.5 wt % surfactant.
 17. The composition of claim 11, further comprising 0.1-5 wt % of a member of the group consisting of a dye, a viscosifier and combinations thereof.
 18. The composition of claim 18, comprising 0.01 and 1.0 wt % of a dye selected from an water soluble alkali-stable basic dye.
 19. The composition of claim 18, wherein the viscosifier is selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carboxy methylcellulose, polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, guar gum and combinations thereof.
 20. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an active kavalactone.
 21. The composition of claim 20, wherein the active kavalactone is selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and combinations thereof.
 22. The composition of claim 20, wherein the active kavalactone comprises 1-50 wt % of the combined mixture of the salt of formic acid and the active kavalactone..
 23. The composition of claim 20, wherein the active kavalactone is derived from Piper Methysticum.
 24. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is a member of the group consisting of Stachybotrys chartarum, Stachybotrys parvispora, Stachybotrys kampalensis, Stachybotrys theobromae, Stachybotrys bisbyi, Stachybotrys cylindrospora, Stachybotrys dichroa, Stachybotrys oenanthes, Stachybotrys nilagerica and combinations thereof.
 25. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is an Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus foetidus, Aspergillus phoenicus, Aspergillus nomius, Aspergillus ochraceus, Aspergillus ostianus, Aspergillus auricomus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus sojae, Aspergillus restrictus, Aspergillus caesillus, Aspergillus conicus, Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus tamarii, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus versicolor.
 26. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is a Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cladosporium herbarum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum.
 27. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is a mildew species such as Phytophthora infestans, Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Plasmopara Vicicola, Alternaria solani, Alternaria solani, Mycospharilla fragari, Alternaria puri, Brimia lactota, Cercosporidium personatum, Alternaria alternata, Botrytus faba or combinations thereof.
 28. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is a fusarium oxysporum.
 29. The composition of claim 1, wherein the fungal growth is a Penicillium freii, Penicillium verrucosum, Penicillium hirsutum, Penicillium alberechii, Penicillum aurantiogriseum, Penicillium polonicum, Penicillium viridicatum, Penicillium hirsutum, Penicillium brevicompactum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium griseofulvum, Penicillium glandicola, Penicillium coprophilum, Eupenicillium crustaceum, Eupenicillium egyptiacum, Penicillium crustosum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium sartoryi, Penicillium westlingi, Penicillium corylophilum, Penicillium decumbens, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicillium solitum, Penicillium camembertii, Penicillium commune, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicillium sclerotigenum, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium fellutanum, Penicillium charlesii, Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium raperi, Penicillium madriti, Penicillium gladioli, Penicillium oxalicum, Penicillium roquefortii, Penicillium simplicissimum, Penicillium ochrochloron, Penicillium spinulosum, Penicillium glabrum, Penicillum thomii, Penicillium pupurescen and combinations thereof.
 30. The composition of claim 1, comprising a salt of citric acid, oxalic acid, maleic acid, acetic acid, fumaric acid , humic acid, fulvic acid, malic acid, glutaric acid, or glutamic acid.
 31. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulation agent to encapsulate the spores.
 32. The composition of claim 31, wherein the encapsulation agent is colloidal oatmeal. 